Archive for September, 2017

As virtually all electronic systems—and even some mechanical, biological and chemical systems—are susceptible to electrostatic discharge (ESD), and when operating alongside other electronics there is a need for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) standards. The DoD offers a handbook and several standards which cover ESD and EMC. MIL-HDBK-263 provides much of the background around the application of …Read Full Article

In many installations and test bench scenarios, a precisely designed rigid waveguide structure with the proper flange and orientation is not readily available. Lead times of several weeks to months are common to receive the correct part. This is not always convenient in a design, repair, or replacement situation. Flexible waveguides at various lengths enable …Read Full Article

RF switches are broken down into several configurations, typologies, and technologies. The simplest distinction is the normally open-circuit or normally closed-circuit configurations. Generally, if unlabeled, a switch is normally open-circuit, though it is worth investigating to a high degree of confidence. If a switch remains in the switched state after power has been removed, the …Read Full Article

It is common to see high reliability (Hi-Rel) labelled electronic components and devices in virtually every automotive, industrial, avionics, military, and space application. Obviously, these applications have widely different standards and expectations for reliability. For example, an automotive device may have an expected failure rate over 5 years that is orders of magnitude less than …Read Full Article